Recently, we witnessed the birth of Sky’s new “sister” channel, Sky Halo. Like any older sibling, we could not help but ask: is she staying? Unlike my own experience as a sibling, the answer was a resounding no. But how did Sky get this so wrong?
Sky Halo’s TikTok profile came across as sexist and demeaning. Believe it or not, girls do not appreciate being spoken to like infants. Patronising and condescending tones are not taken lightly, especially given the hard work that has gone into promoting women’s sport and inspiring the next generation of girls. This felt like a massive slap in the face.
When watching sport, guess what we are actually thinking about? The game. The match. The race. Not “hot girl walks” or matcha lattes. These additions are completely irrelevant to the sport itself and, frankly, undermine the intelligence of the audience. I will admit, I am not an avid watcher of men’s football, though I enjoy the occasional match with my dad and international games. But if someone spoke to me in the tone Halo used, my eyes would roll so far back they might never return. I understand the offside rule; it is not a mystery to me. Women want to be treated like adults. We want to discuss our favourite sports without everything being dumbed down or simplified in a patronising way.
Take Formula One, for example. I am obsessed. I talk about it constantly. The technical regulations, penalties, car designs, racecraft, and track specifics are fascinating. I could spend hours analysing a single race. What I do not care about is rating drivers based on their looks or gossiping about their personal lives. Sure, some drivers are attractive, but most of the time they are wearing helmets. The focus should be on performance, strategy, and skill, not superficial appearances. Yet stereotypes persist that women are only there to cheer vapidly on the sidelines or consume sport in a shallow way.
It frustrates me that, in a time where we should be lifting women up and pushing for equality, something we still battle for daily, Sky thought this approach would hit the mark. I am glad this channel has been axed. From the start, it was tone-deaf, and Halo’s responses to certain comments only perpetuated the narrative that women are here for “vibes” rather than substance. This is the kind of content that makes women feel excluded rather than included in sport. I am not entirely sure what the younger viral trends are about these days, but this one missed completely.
And do not get me started on the name “Lil Sis.” Ask my brother how much I hate being called “lil sis.” It is patronising and dismissive. The title alone positions the audience as inferior, even before engaging with the content. I regularly read Sky Sports’ coverage and never once thought, “You know what would make this better? Explaining it in simpler terms for me.” The condescending approach is unnecessary and frankly insulting. Women are fully capable of engaging with sports content at the same level as men.
It also raises a bigger question about how media companies view their female audience. There is still a pervasive assumption that women cannot handle complexity or technical detail in sport. This is not just about Sky Halo. It is about a culture in sport media that too often reduces women to passive consumers or sidelines their expertise. When will media recognise that women are just as passionate, knowledgeable, and critical as men? That we want analysis, insight, and thoughtful discussion rather than empty aesthetics?
Sky Halo was meant to be a “fun” addition, but in reality, it underscored a frustrating stereotype: that women cannot handle sports analysis and need everything simplified or made “cute.” We deserve better. We deserve respect. We deserve media that treats us as equals and recognises our passion and intelligence. It is high time that sports media, and all media, stop underestimating women and start giving us the content we actually want: authentic, detailed, and unapologetically intelligent.
Sincerely,
Catherine
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